HARRISBURG (PRNewswire) – Children’s Aid Society will receive more than $145,000 as part of an initiative by Gov. Edward G. Rendell to improve the safety and well-being of children by investing $1.4 million in 10 community organizations that have developed creative ways to help prevent neglect and abuse.
“Children of all ages can be victims of abuse and many times, they suffer in silence,” Rendell said. “The prevention of child abuse and neglect takes the cooperation of communities, advocacy groups, parents and schools and these grants support that collaborative spirit – together we will give these children a voice.”
Children’s Aid Society was awarded $145,454 to provide for the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect by expanding and enhancing the Nurturing Parenting Program to better serve parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. An additional two sites will be added in underserved areas of the county. These sites will serve only families of
children ages birth to 6. A shorter summer session will also be added, which will incorporate the early care and education community in several ways.
Childcare staff will be trained in “I Can Problem Solve” techniques. Training will be offered to providers and related staff on nurturing and “1,2,3,4 Parenting” techniques and essential parenting materials will be distributed to families involved in early care and education programs in Clearfield County and surrounding areas.
The programs that are funded use a wide variety of proven techniques to educate and support parents and early care and education providers, who are in contact with many young children and their families each day, in an effort to build stronger family ties and prevent child abuse.
Recipients are selected based on prevention research, standards of best practice, their ability to show positive outcomes for members of the community, as well as their capacity to leverage resources within the community.